Domestic violence awareness: Say no more'

October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. This is an opportunity to raise awareness about a community issue that far too many of our friends and neighbors live with year round.

Imagine what it’s like for a woman to be afraid to come home from work because she is afraid of being hit, verbally abused, pushed, shoved, threatened, or otherwise injured, by the man she lives with and loves. The same man who at, other times, may be attentive and complimentary and helpful with the children.

Imagine what it’s like for a young child to be afraid to come home from school because she or he doesn’t know if it will be a peaceful evening, or a night when the children will be hiding in the closet while one parent terrorizes the other. Far too many people in our communities – our friends, family members, neighbors and co-workers - live in homes where these kinds of scenarios occur far too often.

In 2011 there were 119 domestic violence victims killed in Pennsylvania. Thirteen were children under the age of 17. Seven of the victims were from Montgomery County.

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Domestic Violence Awareness Month offers us a time to pause and remember those who have lost their lives to domestic abuse, and to learn more about how to help those who still live with the fear and trauma of family violence.

We need to act now, together, to take steps necessary to save lives and to end the cycle of violence for thousands of people in our community. A first step toward that goal is a new statewide prevention campaign - “Say No More to Domestic Violence in Pennsylvania,” which is part of a national “No More – Together We Can End Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault” campaign, aimed at breaking the silence and challenging the stigma attached to domestic violence.

Its goal is nothing short of shifting social norms and creating social change to influence public policies and priorities and prevent domestic violence.

As a community, we can:

• Say “no more” to blaming victims of domestic violence for the abuse.

• Say “no more” to trivalizing violence against women and children.

• Say “no more” to excusing abusers.

• Say “no more” to looking the other way and pretending you don’t see or hear the abuse.

• Say “no more” to making excuses for not calling 911.

• Say “no more” to acting as if domestic violence is a “private family matter”, rather than a costly community concern.

• Say “no more” to remaining silent and not offering your help when you suspect someone is a victim.

-- Contributed by Laurel House and

Women’s Center of Montgomery County

If you need help and would like to talk with someone about your situation, or if you know someone who is living with domestic abuse, there are free and confidential support services available. You can find out more about the available services and supports by calling these confidential domestic violence Hotlines, which are available round-the-clock: The Women’s Center of Montgomery County: 1-800-773-2424; Laurel House: 1-800-642-3150.

If you are concerned about domestic violence in your community and want to learn about ways you can help address this important community issue, please check out the following websites: